


The Bone Collector

by TrekTraveler



Series: Legend of the Light Bringer [2]
Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Action/Adventure, F/M, Science Fiction
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-12
Updated: 2020-09-16
Packaged: 2021-03-07 00:08:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,311
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26417728
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TrekTraveler/pseuds/TrekTraveler
Summary: When Alyssandra Barrett finds herself in the cellar of a crumbling castle in Scotland, the last thing she expected to find was a secret chamber full of aliens under glass! Luckily for her, there is a mysterious man there to help her sort it all out. He's called the Doctor, and her adventures with him are just beginning!(This is part one in the Legend of the Light Bringer series)
Relationships: Tenth Doctor/Original Female Character(s)
Series: Legend of the Light Bringer [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1902547
Comments: 4
Kudos: 7





	1. Chapter 1

It was starting to rain. A steady, lazy drizzle that seemed to come not just from the sky but from every direction. The ground was already soaked from storms the night before, making the pavement shine. The air had that distinct smell of damp Earth, springtime. Everything was new again; tiny flowers were starting to pop up along the roadside and through the fields. It would have been beautiful, even in the rain if one was interested in admiring such things. However, she was not. 

She was running at a steady clip along the deserted road, oblivious to the fairy tale like charm of Scottish countryside. All she wanted was to run, to escape the oppressive walls closing in on her. To be able to breathe again. To put distance between her and that place. Everyone looked at her so expectantly, as if she held all the answers they sought. She had no answers, not for them and not for herself. All she had was a broken heart and soggy running shoes. She paused to catch her breath and looked up the hill that presented itself. Lightening split the sky and backlit a crumbling castle. 

“Dramatic, even for Scotland,” she muttered to herself, just as the clouds broke open on a thunderclap and released a downpour. “Oh hell!” she took off running again, this time with a destination in mind.

The massive front door was half rotted off its hinges and gave way easily when she pushed it open with her shoulder. She shook her head and combed her fingers through her dark, chin length hair shaking out the excess water. Pulling her oversized glasses from her jacket, she scanned her surroundings. The castle looked to have been deserted ages ago, holes in the roof let the rain pour in, the few pieces of furniture left were in tatters as were the wall hangings. Lightning struck off in the distance and illuminated the great room, her attention was drawn to a small, arched doorway beside the fireplace. Straining her ears, she could hear a strange, high pitched electric whirring sound. Curious, she pulled her cell phone from her back pocket. No signal this far out, but the flashlight feature was handy. With the rain not likely to let up any time soon, exploring a musty, falling down castle seemed oddly appealing.

Through the doorway was a long corridor that narrowed and curved into a spiral staircase. She followed it down, it went deep, far below the castle walls. Several feet below the main level, the stairs stopped and opened into a wide cavern; a pleasant contrast to the constricting stairway. The cavern was massive, strewn with large shipping crates and the air was different. It was almost balmy, the touch of salt hinting that it opened to the sea somewhere. Primitive lights held up by extension cords flickered along the walls, adding to the impression that this was a temporary operation. At the far end of the cave stood an enormous carved stone with three cloaked figures gathered in front of it. 

Careful to go unnoticed, she crept closer and slid behind one of the crates to get a better look. The hooded figures began to chant in unison, starting softly and growing louder, the words were spoken in a language that could not be distinguished. The intensity grew, voices rising, empowered together and the great stone began to glow. From the shadows came a young boy escorted by a fourth hooded figure. He looked no older than nine or ten and seemed to be hypnotized. He stood silent and unmoving in in front of the glowing stone while the four worshipers backed away.

She watched in dismay as the boy stepped forward and placed his hands on the rough, stone surface. A scream ripped through him as a blinding light exploded through the cavern. When the light faded, the boy was gone. A pile of bones and ash stood in his place.

Horrified, she tried to stifle the shocked gasp that escaped her lips. She took a step back, then another and another. She was almost to the stairs when her sneaker caught on a pebble. She grunted as her backside met with the cold, damp ground. All four figures turned, obviously surprised that their activities had been witnessed. One stepped forward as the leader; he pulled back his hood to reveal a face with metallic skin and glowing eyes which narrowed as they found hers. 

He lifted and arm to point her out and snarled, “Stop her!”

She scrambled to her feet and sprinted up the stairs, taking two at a time in an attempt to put distance between herself and her pursuers. She cleared the top stair and could hear them closing in behind her. Halfway down the hall, a strong pair of hands reached out and pulled her into the shadows. One long arm snaked around her waist and a hand clamped down over her mouth, stopping any pleas for help. She struggled, desperately trying to escape. Her heart pounded in her throat as panic swiftly took hold. 

Her captor leaned down and whispered in her ear, urgency evident in his voice, “Quiet now, I won’t hurt you. You’re safe with me I promise, now be still until they pass.”

She stopped her squirming and nodded, willing herself to be calm. She needed to keep her head if she wanted to get out of this. She didn’t trust this stranger of course but hiding with him seemed preferable to being the next stone sacrifice.

He let his hand slip from her mouth, seemingly satisfied that she wouldn’t do anything to give away their position. They both held their breath as the scuffle of footsteps rushed past their hiding place then back again. Once he was certain they had gone for good, he released her all together. 

He stuck his head out into the corridor and found it empty. “Looks like we gave them the slip.”

She followed the stranger into the passageway. She made a quick study of the man and found nothing familiar about him. He was tall and lean, dressed in a blue pinstripe suite, brown trench and burgundy converse trainers. His dark, brown hair stood on end in a slightly trendy, bed-head sort of way. He had the look of a modern-day mad scientist. 

Not exactly the most threatening person in the world, but after what she’d just witnessed, she wasn’t taking any chances. “Who are you?”

He pivoted on his heels and faced her. She was guarded but no longer frightened, a positive step. “Right, well, first things first. Introductions. I’m the Doctor.” 

She raised an eyebrow, “The Doctor? Doctor Pepper, Doctor Strangelove? Doctor what?”

He had the audacity to grin at her, “Just the Doctor.”

She frowned, obviously not content with his explanation. 

“How about you?” he asked.

“How about me what?”

The Doctor smiled, his brown eyes twinkling, “What’s your name?”

She chewed her bottom lip as she considered her options. Technically he was a stranger and not to be trusted. But there was something about him that her instincts picked up on. Something in her recognized him as a good guy. And like it or not, she needed someone to help her. “Alyssandra. My name is Alyssandra Barrett.”

“Alyssandra! Beautiful name,’ the Doctor said, shaking her hand with enthusiasm. “And an American to boot! Love an American!” 

She blushed self-consciously. Her accent had been commented on by everyone from the cab driver to the pub keeper. She guessed rural Scotland didn’t see many Yankees.

The Doctor shoved his hands in his front pockets as he strode around, studying the crates, “So, tell me Alyssandra Barrett, what has you running for your life?”

“Those hooded guys that were chasing me, they have this huge stone… thing in the basement.” She shook her head trying to explain the bizarre scene she had witnessed. “They sacrificed a little boy to it! I know how crazy this sounds, but I swear that stone it alive.”

“Living stone,” the Doctor repeated, his eyes reflecting the wheels turning in his head. 

“I know, I know, but its true. I swear its true, they killed that child!” Alyssandra pulled out her phone and checked for a signal again, “We’ve got to call the police or Scotland Yard or whoever is in charge of that sort of thing out here.”

His reply was quick, “We can’t do that.”

“What?” her tone was colored with disbelief. “We can’t just let them get away with this! What if they hurt someone else?”

“I am not going to let that happen,” he assured her, placing his hands on her shoulders and gave them a squeeze. “Now, what else can you tell me about the stone?”

She wasn’t sure exactly why, but she believed him. “It was big, massive. Maybe fifteen feet tall with these swirly patterns carved into it. At first, I thought it was one of those standing stones, you know? Like the ones that are scattered all over the countryside. But then it started to glow with this gold light. When the boy touched it… it triggered a reaction. Light exploded everywhere.”

The Doctor’s face was grim, “Ogri.”

“Ogri?” she repeated, “What’s an Ogri?”

“They’re a parasitic plasma race from Ogros in the Tau Ceti system,” he explained, “They survive by absorbing the blood of other creatures and using the plasma cells as fuel.”

“Well, they absorbed more than just blood this time. There was nothing left of that boy except dust and bones.”

“The Ogri can survive for hundreds of years in a state of hibernation. Coming in contact with flesh and blood after that long would trigger an intense reaction.” The Doctor ran his hand over the back of his neck, “Ogros is thousands of light-years away from Earth, and the Ogri are little more than hired thugs, they never go anywhere without orders. What are they doing here?”

Over the past few years, the existence of aliens had become more accepted if still highly unusual. The Christmas Star, army of ghosts, all made it impossible to deny. Given what she had just witnessed in the cavern, Alyssandra was certainly willing to entertain the idea. “So, if the Ogri are here on orders then who’s calling the shots?”

The Doctor glanced over at her in mild surprise, “Very good question, let’s go and find out, shall we?”


	2. Secrets in the Cellar

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Doctor and Lyssa discover what the castle has hiding in the basement.

Alyssandra followed the Doctor down the winding staircase. When they reached the bottom, he signaled to her to stay back while he checked ahead for the mysterious hooded brothers. 

Seeing the coast was clear, he called out, “It’s alright Lyssa, you can come out. There’s no sign of your friends.”

“Lyssa?” she asked, joining him in front of the giant stone.

He studied the stone, walking around it but not touching it. “Hmm? Oh, do you mind? Alyssandra is lovely but long.”

She chuckled, “No its fine. It’s just most people call me Ally.”

The Doctor considered her for a moment. She was quite pretty. Delicate features, fair skin, shiny black hair, and the most extraordinary eyes. Soft green that edged towards gray with thick black lashes, they looked like they belonged to a fairy princess. Something about the baggy clothes and big glasses hinted that she was trying to go unnoticed. But her quality shone through regardless. Yes, the name Alyssandra fit her well.

“Ally,” he repeated. “Nah, doesn’t suit you. American though.” He pulled out his sonic screwdriver and scanned the stone as he circled it.

She tilted her head, recognizing the high-pitched sound. “Oh, that’s the sound I heard upstairs! What is it?”

“Sonic screwdriver,” he answered absentmindedly. 

“Oh, of course,” Lyssa nodded. He was an odd man, but given the events of the day, maybe odd was best. 

While the Doctor scanned the stone, she explored more of the cavern. The crates were mostly empty, although some still had remnants of grain, straw, gallons of water, and blankets. Noticing scuff marks by the bottom of one crate, Lyssa followed them around and discovered another doorway.

“Looks like our friend is back in hibernation mode,” the Doctor said, studying the readings on the sonic. “For now, anyway. It’s part of a cycle, so he will likely feed again in a few hours. Wonder where the rest of his tribe is? The Ogri always travel in packs, you see…”

“Doctor!”

It was then the Doctor realized that he had been talking to himself. He took off in the direction of Lyssa’s voice. “Honestly, is there anyone who doesn’t just wander off the minute I turn my back?”  
He found her in the next room over. It was dark except for a huge glass box holding the remains of a creature he knew well. 

Lyssa felt the Doctor’s hands on her shoulders, gently pulling her back from the box. She had never seen anything like it. It was about five and a half feet tall, made of copper colored metal and kind of looked like a domed trash can with two little lights on top. There was something about it that was not right and made her stomach clench. “Doctor, what is it?”

A deep frown creased the Doctor’s features as he stared at his old foe. “It’s called a Dalek,” he told her, foreboding coloring his voice. “One of the most dangerous and deadly creatures in all the universe. Born to hate. Its sole purpose to destroy anything that isn’t a Dalek.”

She looked up at the Doctor in uncertainty, “Is it alive?”

He scanned the box and the Dalek with his sonic. “Hibernation mode. And its eye stalk and weapons system are missing, must have had a rough trip.” Something caught his attention off in the darkness and he realized something. 

“Oh, hang on,” he changed a setting on the sonic and pointed it at the base of the box. It triggered a chain reaction and several other glass boxes lit up.

There must have been fifty or so in all, each held a different type of creature. Lyssa shook her head as she and the Doctor explored the collection. She had never seen anything like it. The Doctor seemed less phased by it, as if he had seen this type of thing before.

“These are status cubes,” the Doctor explained. “Usually used to transport cargo over extremely long distances, keeps things from getting damaged. But these have been modified to hold living creatures.”

Lyssa stopped in front of a cube that held what looked like a man with a squid head. Tentacles came from its mouth and a long tube attached to a ball in its hand. “Why are they here? Are they sick or something?”

“I think it’s a collection, a private zoo.”

She put her hand on the glass case. Gazing at the squid man frozen behind the glass, she felt an incredible sadness settle in her heart. She hated to think of any being held against their will simply because they were beautiful or unique. Her wide green eyes turned to the Doctor, pleading, “That’s horrible. Can we get them out?”

The Doctor glanced up at the Ood and then down at the human beside him. He grinned, “Oh yes!”

Grinning back, Lyssa followed him to a massive control panel that sat against the far wall. It had numerous buttons, levers, and monitors. She had no talent for technology. Every computer she owned seemed to lock up, her phone always had a cracked screen and a dead battery. Even the car she drove was in and out of the shop. But the Doctor seemed to have no trouble navigating the intimidating system. His fingers moved quickly over the controls as did the ever-present sonic screwdriver. 

“Oh, that can’t be right,” he muttered to himself. “Really? Maybe…” The Doctor punched in a final command with flourish.

Suddenly, the entire chamber lit up and illuminated a wide opening in the rock face at the end of the room. Lyssa thought it was open to the outside, possibly the sea. A slight shimmer flickered through the opening and something zapped, hinting that it was a force field. The Doctor strode towards it and held up his hand for her to stay back. He passed the sonic over it and the force field dropped revealing a strange, swirling purple cloud. Like a miniature thunderstorm, complete with zaps of violet lightning. 

Alyssandra peered at the cloud over the Doctor’s shoulder, “Its beautiful.”

“Beautiful, and completely wrong. It’s a rift. A tear in time and space,” he explained, a contemplative frown on his face. 

“A rift… like a doorway to another dimension?”

The Doctor was impressed, “That’s not a bad explanation really. Rifts are naturally occurring phenomenon; they crop up all over the galaxy, they’re harmless. This one was artificially created.”   
He suddenly smacked his head in realization. “Oh! I’m thick, of course! That’s how this whole operation is being pulled off! Those status cubes take massive amounts of energy to maintain, they’re using this rift as a generator!”

As they talked the rift grew in intensity, throwing off more lightening and gusts of wind. The force caused pebbles and dust to fall from the cavern ceiling. Lyssa shook the grit it kicked up out of her hair, “Seems a little rough, is it supposed to do that?”

“No,” he replied, reactivating the force field. “Whoever created this rift did a sloppy job of it. Its highly unstable, damaging the very fabric of reality with every passing second.”

“So sorry my temporal anomaly doesn’t meet with your standards.”

The Doctor and Lyssa spun around to see the hooded monks standing behind them. Their faces were obscured, but the guns they held made their intent clear. 

There was a new figure in the room. A short, stout man stood by the control panel. He looked just like a human except for the silvery metallic hue of his skin. “Rifts are tricky to create you know, and even trickier to maintain,” he said as he adjusted the controls. “It may be homespun, but it serves my purpose.”

The Doctor appraised the stranger with authority, “And what is your purpose, Mr. …?”

“My name and my purpose are the same, I am called the Collector. What you see here are the remnants of my life’s work,” the man explained. “The rarest and most unique creatures in all the universe. Its been my obsession, now it will be my retirement. A nest egg if you will.”

“You’re selling them,” the Doctor spat in disgust. “Living, sentient beings and you are selling them!”

The Collector shrugged, “Or trying to anyway, business is a bit slow since the market dried up. I’ve regrettably had to downshift to selling the parts rather than the whole. Times just aren’t what they used to be.”

Lyssa’s eyes darted around the status cubes and she noticed that several of the aliens were indeed missing limbs. “Selling them for parts?! That’s barbaric!”

He sneered at her, “Says the human. You tear your own world apart just to mine the oil. Destroy each other with world wars. Allow people to starve simply because its inconvenient to feed them. Yet you dare to call me barbaric?”

She stiffened her spine and lifted her chin, “The sins of my culture are not an excuse for yours. It’s still wrong!”

The Doctor nodded his agreement, “Very well said. Crimes of morality aside, you have violated inter-galactic law. Article thirty-two of the Shadow Proclamation clearly states that trafficking any being of sentience is illegal.”

The Collector gave the Doctor a cool, appraising look. “The Shadow Proclamation has no interest in a backwards, little planet like Earth.”

“Are you sure about that?” the Doctor returned.

“I’m certain of it. Besides, its not like you’ll be alerting them.” With a smug grin, The Collector flipped a switch on the control panel.

The Doctor abruptly disappeared and found himself imprisoned in one of the glass cubes. “No!” He shouted, when not even his trusty sonic screwdriver managed to free him.

“Knowledge of galactic law, slinks around on Earth, keeps a human companion and acts as if he is the ultimate authority in the universe,” the Collector smiled in triumph. “Your reputation proceeds you, Doctor.”

The Doctor could feel a full body scan pass through him, and the results were displayed on the outside of the stasis cube, including an x-ray showing his two hearts.

Lyssa’s jaw dropped as the Collector said, “Last of the Time Lords! I can’t believe my luck! A single strand of your DNA will make me richer than the Duke of Manhattan!”

Alyssandra tried to get to the Doctor’s cell, but two of the hooded monks stopped her. Holding her fast by the arms, no amount of struggle would free her. “You can’t do this!”

The Collector looked at her in clear disgust, “Humans! You are no better than the common weed, and just as undesirable.” He gave a nod to the monks, “Get rid of her.”

The Doctor beat his fists against the glass in a panic, helpless to do anything but watch as the monks took her by the arms and drug her to the edge of the cavern, “No! Leave her alone!”

Lyssa fought with all her might, but she was no match for her captors. “Doctor!” she was barely able to scream as they tossed her into the swirling storm of the rift.


	3. Welcome to Torchwood

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack Harkness couldn't believe his eyes when the girl came barreling out of the active rift, then she said the one word that stopped him in his tracks. "Doctor"

Captain Jack Harkness stood on the street level above Torchwood headquarters. He fitted the infrared spectrum goggles over his eyes and anticipated the opening of the rift. The activity had been growing more chaotic and violent in recent weeks. Like a hurricane of space, time, and energy causing everything from earthquakes and weather fluctuations to temporal time loops. Any bits of alien tech that came through was damaged beyond recognition and living creatures didn’t fare much better. Torchwood cold storage was quickly filling up with various body parts from any creature unfortunate enough to be caught in the anomaly. 

Jack was adjusting the goggles again when Tosh’s voice sounded through his earpiece. “Two minutes until the next surge, Jack.”

“Roger that,” he confirmed. “Are you still getting readings from the imaging goggles?”

“Yep. With you standing so close to the center of activity we should get plenty of usable data.” 

“Good. I’d hate to get hit in the face with Weevil guts again for nothing!” Jack returned with a wry grin, remembering the last time they attempted this. All that preparation and the damned goggles weren’t even charged up!

“Here we go,” he murmured as he felt the ground rumble and watched as the atmosphere crackled with raw energy before a fissure of gold light ripped through the air. The rift opened with such force that he was pushed back several feet and he had to fight to keep his balance.

This shift seemed especially volatile, strong winds howled, and the orange gold of the rift deepened to a violet blue. It sent out snaps of energy light lightning bolts. 

Jack gritted his teeth, planting his feet against the raging storm, “Tosh! You getting this?!”

“I’ve never seen a rift storm this intense, Jack. It’s like the power of ten shifts in one!” Tosh said, amazement and unease in her voice. “Uh oh… heads up! Something’s coming through!”

Before he could even react, a massive wave of energy exploded radiated out and Jack was thrown clear. He looked up just in time to see the body of a woman jettisoned from the rift. She tumbled several feet, coming to a stop in the middle of the pavement. To his surprise, she quickly got to her feet, if a bit unsteady.

Alyssandra felt as though she was being compressed and torn apart all at once. Every cell in her body was on fire yet her blood ran cold. Time itself expanded and contracted. She was in the eye of the most impossible storm, like drowning on dry land. It seemed to go on forever then abruptly ended as she was thrown back into time. She hit the hard ground with force and rolled a bit before coming to a stop. The adrenaline rushing through her system had her standing almost immediately. 

Definitely not in the same place she started from, but there in front of her was the rift. It looked the same, but bigger and more violent. This rift looked like a tornado compressed into the space of a few feet.

Lyssa was surprised to find herself alive, considering where she had just been. A lucky escape. She approached the swirling cloud of crackling energy and light. The wind whipped her choppy hair back from her face. 

Does it work both ways? Can I launch myself into the rift and go back? Will I survive the trip? What will happen to the Doctor?

Edging closer to the mesmerizing anomaly, Lyssa reached her hand out. There was only one way to test her theory, she had to try! Fate denied her the chance, with one final gust of wind, the rift closed.

“No!” she cried, staring wide eyed at the empty night. “Doctor…”

Jack whipped off the spectrum goggles, still not quite believing what he had just witnessed. The woman jumped to her feet and ran towards the rift. For a moment it looked as if she were going to launch herself back into the eye of the storm. Before he could stop her, the rift abruptly closed leaving an eerie calm in the absence of wind and lightning. 

She stood there, looking almost ethereal in Jack’s eyes. White wisps of residual temporal energy rolled off her slender form, swirling around her like smoke. She was transfixed, searching the spot where the rift had been only moments before. 

Looking bewildered and slightly lost, she whispered a single word that caused Jack’s heart to quicken, “Doctor…”

Lyssa had no idea she wasn’t alone until the tall, strapping man in the blue great coat appeared at her side, “What did you say?”

She looked up into steel blue eyes set in a face that could only be described as movie star handsome. “I…” she tried to answer but found her lungs couldn’t draw breath. Panic swiftly took hold and her hand went to her chest.

Jack’s brows drew together, instantly concerned, “Are you alright?”

“I… I… I can’t breathe.”

Jack barely had time to react before her eyes rolled back and she pitched forward into his arms. “Whoa!” he quickly swept her up. “Yup, definitely said Doctor,” he muttered to himself. “Tosh, get Owen, we’ve got a medical emergency.”

“On it,” came the reply through his earpiece.

Doctor Owen Harper was already in the Medbay by the time Jack walked in with the stranger in his arms. “What happened?”

Jack laid her on the exam table, “She said she couldn’t breathe then collapsed. She came through the rift.”

Owen moved quickly and efficiently, fixing an oxygen mask over his patient’s nose and mouth, “How is that possible? We’ve had nothing come through in one piece for weeks.”

Jack shook his head as questions continued to build in his mind. “I don’t know. Ianto and Gwen are checking the other hot spots right now, but so far it’s just her.”

“She’s in shock,” Owen said, starting an I.V. “Grab one of those emergency blankets, will you?”

The captain studied the woman’s pale features as he settled the blanket over her still form. He clung to that fateful word that stopped his world in it’s tracks. She knew the Doctor. Jack had been searching for the Time Lord ever since Satellite Five. That had been the first time he had risen from the dead and it wouldn’t be the last. He had questions that demanded answers and only the Doctor could provide them. Now fate had delivered a tie to the Doctor right at his feet! This was an opportunity Jack would not squander.

“Why are you staring at her like that?” Owen asked, looking up from his work. “Do you know her?”

Jack shook his head but didn’t look away, “No, I’ve never seen her before.”

The young medic turned his attention to the monitor displaying life signs, “Hmm, well whoever she is, she’s incredibly lucky. That rift is full of all sorts of abnormal chemical compounds and next to no oxygen. Inhalation caused respiratory arrest, like an asthma attack on steroids. Combined with exposure to toxic levels of Rontgen radiation.”

“Sounds like a rough trip.

“Jack, it’s a deadly trip. Nothing can survive that. Not weevils and certainly not a human.”

“So, she’s not human?” asked Jack.

“Oh, she’s human alright. Right down to the B positive blood type.” Owen shook his head at the contradicting information on the stat screen, “Human with the ability to process deadly neuro toxins.”

Hearing the voices of Gwen and Ianto, Jack put his questions about the mystery woman on the back burner for the time being. “Alright. I’m going to debrief everyone. Keep me posted.”

It wasn’t long after Jack left that Lyssa regained consciousness. She bolted upright, instantly in a panic as the day’s events came rushing back to her. She looked around wildly, nothing seemed familiar.

“Hey there, easy, easy,” Owen appeared at her side, hands on shoulders to keep her from bolting. “Take it slow. You’re safe now.”

She regarded the angular face of the stranger. He didn’t seem threatening, although he wasn’t smiling. He gave the impression of a field medic. Efficient, to the point and no bedside manner to speak of.

Owen shone a light in her eyes, checking pupil reaction, “Do you know your name?”

“Alyssandra Barrett.”

“Uh huh. How about the date?”

“September 7, 2012.”

Owen paused his examination, his eyes meeting Jack’s who had appeared in the doorway. “And do you know where you are?”

“Well I did, but judging from your reaction to my last answer, I’m guessing it’s not where I started.” Lyssa followed Owen’s gaze over her shoulder. Leaning against the doorframe was the man she had seen after coming through the rift. No great coat flapping dramatically in the wind this time. The sleeves of his shirt were rolled up to the elbow, arms crossed over his broad chest and an intense look on his chiseled features. He looked like someone out of a magazine.

“Oh, it’s you!” she exclaimed. “I thought you were a dream.”

“Not the first time I’ve been accused of that,” Jack said with a dazzling smile. “I’m Captain Jack Harkness.”

She shook the hand he offered, “Alyssandra Barrett.”

“Welcome to Torchwood, Alyssandra Barrett.”

“Torchwood,” she repeated. “Not a Scottish institution, I take it?”

Jack shook his head, “You were in Scotland?”

“Isle of Skye.”

“Cardiff,” Jack returned.

“Cardiff,” she rolled the name over. “Why Cardiff?”

“Cardiff was built on top of a rift,” Jack explained. “We get all kinds of odds and ends falling through as a result. Space junk really.”

“Speaking of the rift,” Owen broke in. “You had quite the rough go of it. That mask needs to stay on for a minimum of two hours, and no moving about.” He looked to Jack, “I’m going to check in with Tosh.”

Jack barely spared him a glance as he left; he was fixated on Lyssa. “So, what were you doing in Scotland? Going by your accent, you’re not a local.”

For the first time, a shadow flickered within her gray green eyes and her answer faltered. “I… I was there on family business.”

Not exactly a lie, but not the truth. Jack was an expert interrogator and could read people like books. Alyssandra had an open face and expressive eyes that betrayed her thoughts. She was obviously a terrible liar, but that didn’t mean that she would automatically confide in him. Best to establish a bit of trust before proceeding.

Jack sat in a chair next to the bed, so that he was no longer looming over her but was at eye level. “When you came through the rift you said Doctor.”

Her eyes widened at the name, “I did?”

Jack nodded, “You did, and I’m willing to bet you weren’t asking for a medic.”

She dropped her gaze to her lap.

Protective. Definitely on the right track. “Do the words sonic screwdriver mean anything to you?”

Lyssa’s head snapped up, “You know him?”

Jack grinned. Bingo. “He’s an old friend of mine. You travel with him?”

“No. I just met him actually,” she replied with a shake of her head. “I’ve got to find a way back there, he’s in trouble.”

Jack let out a humorless laugh, “The Doctor is always in trouble, it’s his natural state of being.”

“What about the rift?” she asked. “Will it open again? Can I go back the way I came?”

“Doubtful. Especially since we’re not entirely sure how you managed to survive your first trip,” Jack informed her. Unable to stop himself he pressed his luck, “What does he look like?”

Puzzled, Lyssa tilted her head, “You don’t know what the Doctor looks like?”

“He changes it up.”

Unease skated up her spine. She didn’t know much about the Doctor, but that Collector had said he was valuable. Last of his kind. There was every possibility that these Torchwood people were interested in him for the same reasons. 

“I’ll bet,” she raised an eyebrow. “What exactly are you a captain of?”

“R.A.F. One, three, three squadron,” Jack rattled off automatically.

“And Torchwood is a division of the Royal Airforce?”

Jack could practically see her defenses rise. Damn! “No. We’re more, what you would call, freelance.”

“I see,” she sat up and pulled off the mask. “Thanks for the first aid, but I really must be going.”

“Ah, that’s not a good idea,” Jack said as she swung her legs over the edge of the bed. 

“Maybe, but I’m still doing it.” Lyssa declared, yanking the I.V. from her hand as she stood up. “I’ll find my own way back, thanks again.”

Jack was on his feet, determined not to lose this tie to the Time Lord. “You can’t leave.”

Alyssandra was a good deal shorter than the captain, but she wasn’t about to let that intimidate her into submission. “You have no right to keep me here. Now get out of my way.”

She took exactly two steps before her lungs protested and her knees gave out. 

“Damn it!” Jack bit off an oath, catching her before she could hit the floor. “Owen!”

Several tense minutes later Lyssa was back in the bed where she started. Jack watched anxiously from the sidelines as Owen worked to stabilize her again. 

Satisfied that she was back on track, Owen caught the captain’s eye, “Jack? A word?”

Following the medic into the corridor Jack asked, “Will she be alright?”

“Her numbers are already improving. So long as she stays still and lets the oxygen infusion do its job, I expect a full recovery.” Owen gave a stern look, “You need to take it easy.”

When Jack only nodded, Owen pressed on. “She won’t answer any of your questions, Doctor related or otherwise, if you badger her into unconsciousness.”

Meeting Owen’s serious gaze, he nodded again., “I hear you.”

“Good. I hate repeating myself,” Owen muttered, stalking off down the hallway.

Walking back into the Medbay, Jack found Alyssandra settled on a narrow cot. She watched him warily over the oxygen mask.

“I wanted to apologize. Owen is right, you need to rest. We can talk once you’ve recovered.”

“No,” she rasped, pushing herself up with her elbows. “I gave my word to that ill tempered medic that I would stay put, mask on for two hours. That gives us plenty of time to talk.”

As Jack was about to protest, Lyssa reached out and caught his hand. Her soft green eyes caught his blue ones and held them fast. He felt as though she could see straight through to his soul. Past every defense, past every barrier and laid his heart bare. In that moment, he would have confessed anything. 

Lyssa searched Jack’s gaze. Like it or not, she needed help. She had no idea how to get back to her proper time, let alone the Doctor. She could not abandon him to his fate. And what of the aliens being held there? She had no reason to trust Jack Harkness or anyone else in Torchwood, this was all going on instinct. Looking into the captain’s eyes now, she could see past his bravado and found what she was looking for. Desperation mixed with sorrow and most importantly, compassion.

“Mid-thirties.”

Jack frowned in confusion, “What?”

“The Doctor,” she replied, releasing his hand. “Mid-thirties, tall and lanky. Brown eyes, brown sticky-upy hair and glasses. Although, he’s a bit absentminded about them, I suspect he doesn’t need them.”

She had taken the first step. She didn’t have to tell him what he wanted to know. Someone had to extend the olive branch, and the gesture wasn’t lost on the captain. “Thank you.”

“I have to find a way back. They’ll kill him if I don’t… or sell him. And the others too.” Alyssandra’s eyes were pleading, while her spine stiffened with resolve. “I’ll figure it out on my own if I have to, but it would be a lot easier with someone who knows what they’re doing. Will you help me?”

Jack looked at her then, really looked. She was young and inexperienced, as all of the Doctor’s companions seemed to be in the beginning. Yet she had that indescribable quality that shone through. A mix of bravery, determination and a touch of fate. He gave her a devil-may-care grin, “Ms. Barrett, you’ve come to the right place.”


End file.
